where you been?
by CasMyAssbutt
Summary: Klaroline: alternative season three meeting. Set 3x04. Yay.


**a/n -** because I can. Also, because I thought it was funny. Merry Nearly Christmas! I might see you again before then, I don't know.

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_Nice to meet you, where you been?_

_I could show you incredible things_

_Magic, madness, heaven, sin_

_Saw you there and I thought_

_Oh my God, look at that face_

_You look like my next mistake_

- Taylor Swift (Blank Space)

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"What's wrong, sweetheart?" He coos, and doesn't she just _melt_. Well, she would have, if it had been under normal circumstances, she's _sure_, but today she's drunk and sitting in an alleyway behind a strip club.

"I kicked a cat." She mutters, takes a long slug out of her beer bottle, wrinkles her nose. She really had, kicked the cat. He was a cute, purring little ball of black and white—and she kicked him!

He stares at her, at her neck, before something flashes across his face and he chuckles.

"And why did you kick the cat, love?" He asks softly, moving to sit beside her. She notices how before his tone was more—_mocking_, and now he sounds actually curious.

"Because everyone sucks!" She waves her hand and some beer spills out of the bottle.

"And you—" He raises his eyebrows in amusement. "Blame the cat?"

She scoffs. "No!" Peering at him, she wobbles her chin. "The cat was just—too nice to me." He raises his eyebrows and she purses her lips. "He was all cute and meow-y and 'love me, Caroline, love me'! Bleh!" She gulps from her bottle.

He watches her for a moment. "So he annoyed you by showing you affection?"

"Yes! Well—oh, shut up!" He looks taken aback before he laughs.

They sit silently, him shaking his head about something.

"I—I've had a bad day."

"And the poor cat found out the hard way." She shoves his shoulder and he stares at her, bewildered, but she doesn't notice.

"I didn't mean to abuse him! Besides, he can blame my supposed best friend."

"What did _he_ do?" She side-glares at him.

"He was happy!"

He scratches his stubbled cheek and mutters, "Love, you have very odd triggers."

She lets her head fall against the wall and groans. "No, it's just—he's here, I thought against his will, because he didn't say goodbye and—and he's here and I came to rescue him and he looked happy, _fine_, and—" She sighs.

"And it's not fair?" He finishes for her. She nods.

"I mean, I need him, now more than ever, and he's smiling and dancing with another blonde."

He smirks at her. "I'm sure she's not nearly as beautiful as you."

She rolls her eyes. "And I was just starting to like you."

He smiles. "Why do you need him?"

She sighs and raises the bottle to her lips again. "Last time things were really not okay, he made them feel—slightly more okay."

"What happened?"

"People—_suck_." She lets out a shaky laugh. "Someone who I never thought would hurt me, even if that person thought they were doing the right thing, did."

"Physically or emotionally?"

"Both."

He pauses. "May I ask why?"

She snorts. "You may."

He furrows his eyebrows when she doesn't continue, then laughs catching on. "Why?" He shakes his head as she hides her smile.

Her smile falls and she purses her lips. "Because I'm—" She closes her eyes. "A disappointment."

He clicks his tongue after a few seconds of silence. "Some people are unable see that you—cannot help what you are."

She frowns, considering his statement. Flailing her arms and shaking her head, she says, "But he just decided that I am what I am! I mean, what I am I don't have to be! I mean—"

She sighs and whispers, "Not all monsters do monstrous things*."

She can feel him staring at her. He suddenly licks his lips. "How did he make you feel better?"

She takes a deep breath. "He was just there, really."

"I'm here." He says.

A rough finger slides along her cheek. She smirks, unable to help herself. Turning to meet his eyes, she leans closer. He leans in until they are nose to nose.

"I'm not desperate." She sends him a wide smile and pushes herself up.

He stares at the spot she was in before hopping up after her. "Now hang on, love—"

"Caroline?"

"Stefan?"

"Who's she?"

"_He_'s the he?"

"What?"

"Wait—if he's—then you're—SERIOUSLY?!"

.

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**a/n -** * = see if you can name the queen! ;)


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